sink or swim

To descend to the bottom; submerge.

1. To fall or drop to a lower level, especially to go down slowly or in stages: The water in the lake sank several feet during the long, dry summer.

2. To subside or settle gradually, as a massive or weighty structure.

3. To deteriorate in quality or condition: The patient is sinking fast. The family sank into a state of disgrace.

4. To diminish, as in value.

5. To drop or fall slowly, as from weakness or fatigue: The exhausted runner sank to the ground.

6. To feel great disappointment or discouragement: Her heart sank within her.

To appear to move downward, as the sun or moon in setting.

To slope downward; incline.

To pass into a specified condition: She sank into a deep sleep.

1. To deteriorate in quality or condition: The patient is sinking fast. The family sank into a state of disgrace.

2. To diminish, as in value.

3. To drop or fall slowly, as from weakness or fatigue: The exhausted runner sank to the ground.

4. To feel great disappointment or discouragement: Her heart sank within her.

To become weaker, quieter, or less forceful: His voice sank to a whisper.

1. To drop or fall slowly, as from weakness or fatigue: The exhausted runner sank to the ground.

2. To feel great disappointment or discouragement: Her heart sank within her.

To seep or soak; penetrate: The water is sinking into the ground.

To make an impression; become felt or understood: The meaning finally sank in.

To cause to descend beneath a surface: sink a ship.

To cause to drop or lower: sank the bucket into the well.

To force into the ground: sink a piling.

To dig or drill (a mine or well) in the earth.

To occupy the full attention of; engross.

1. To make weaker, quieter, or less forceful.

2. To reduce in quantity or worth.

3. To invest: sink money into a new housing project.

4. To invest without any prospect of return.

To debase the nature of; degrade.

To bring to a low or ruined state; defeat or destroy.

To suppress or hide: He sank his arrogance and apologized.

Informal To defeat, as in a game.

1. To invest: sink money into a new housing project.

2. To invest without any prospect of return.

To pay off (a debt).

Sports To get (a ball) into a hole or basket.

A water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe and generally a piped supply of water.

A cesspool.

A sinkhole.

A natural or artificial means of absorbing or removing a substance or a form of energy from a system.

A place regarded as wicked and corrupt.